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women in tights
July 20, 2012

Slideshow: Celebrating the Best-Dressed Lady Superheroes

By Sally Holmes

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Photo: Everett Collection

The best thing about being a superhero, besides the ability to fly and see through walls, is that you can dart around a city without wearing pants and no one will give you any trouble. It makes sense — cropped trousers and harem pants are great if you’re sitting at a desk all day, but spandex tights and leather bodysuits are much more work-friendly if you’re in the crime-fighting business. So, in honor of Anne Hathaway’s debut as Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises, we celebrate these pantless, leather-clad ladies of comic-book and fantasy fame. Click ahead to see some of the most fashionable lady superheroes, from Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman to Halle Berry as Catwoman, and a few villains (how could we possibly leave out Uma Thurman as Poison Ivy with her Taylor Tomasi red hair and shiny, green leotard?) in our slideshow.

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1 / 30 Photos
Catwoman Lee Meriwether in Batman: The Movie, 1966 Photo: ?20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Catwoman Julie Newmar in Batman, 1966-1968 Photo: ?20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Batgirl Yvonne Craig in Batman, 1966-1968 Photo: ?20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Batgirl Yvonne Craig in Batman, 1966-1968 Photo: Copyright ? 20th Century Fox Licensing/Merchandising / Everett Collection
Batgirl Yvonne Craig in Batman, 1966-1968 Photo: ?20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Catwoman Eartha Kitt in Batman, 1967 Photo: Copyright ? 20th Century Fox Licensing/Merchandising / Everett Collection
Wonder Woman Lynda Carter in The New Adventures of Wonder Woman, 1975-1979 Photo: Copyright ? Everett Collection / Everett Collection
Electra Woman and Dyna Girl Judy Strangis and Deidre Hall in Electra Woman and Dyna Girl, 1976 Photo: Courtesy Everett Collection
Ursa Sarah Douglas and Margot Kidder in Superman II, 1980 Photo: ?Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
Supergirl Helen Slater in Supergirl, 1984
Catwoman Michelle Pfeiffer in Batman Returns, 1992 Photo: ?Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
Batgirl Alicia Silverstone in Batman and Robin, 1997 Photo: ?Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
Poison Ivy Uma Thurman in Batman and Robin, 1997 Photo: ?Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
Ashley Scott, Rachel Skarsten, and Dina Meyer in Birds of Prey, 2002 Photo: Courtesy Everett Collection
Jessica Alba in Dark Angel, 2000-2002 Photo: ?20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Rogue Anna Paquin in X-Men 2, 2003 Photo: ?20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Mystique Rebecca Romijn in X-Men 2, 2003 Photo: ?20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Lady Deathstrike Kelly Hu in X-Men 2, 2003 Photo: ?20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Phoenix Famke Janssen in X-Men 2, 2003 Photo: ?20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Catwoman Halle Berry in Catwoman, 2004 Photo: ?Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
Sue Storm Jessica Alba in Fantastic Four, 2005 Photo: ?20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Æon Flux Charlize Theron in Aeon Flux, 2005 Photo: Copyright ? ?Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection / Everett Collection
Elektra Jennifer Garner in Elektra, 2005 Photo: ?20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Shadowcat Ellen Page in X-Men: The Last Stand, 2006 Photo: ?20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Storm Halle Berry in X-Men: The Last Stand, 2006 Photo: ?20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Phoenix Famke Janssen in X-Men: The Last Stand, 2006 Photo: ?20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Hit-Girl Chloë Moretz in Kick-Ass, 2010 Photo: Photo Credit: Daniel Smith/Copyright ? ?Lions Gate/courtesy Everett Collecti / Everett C... Hit-Girl Chloë Moretz in Kick-Ass, 2010 Photo: Photo Credit: Daniel Smith/Copyright ? ?Lions Gate/courtesy Everett Collecti / Everett Collection
January Jones in X-Men: First Class, 2011 Photo: Photo: Keith Hamshere/Copyright ? 20th Century Fox Licensing/Merchandising / Everett Collection
Black Widow Scarlett Johansson in The Avengers, 2012 Photo: Industrial Light & Magic./Copyright ? ?Columbia Pictures/courtesy Everett Co / Evere... Black Widow Scarlett Johansson in The Avengers, 2012 Photo: Industrial Light & Magic./Copyright ? ?Columbia Pictures/courtesy Everett Co / Everett Collection
Catwoman Anne Hathaway in The Dark Knight Rises, 2012. Photo: Ron Phillips/? 2012 WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC. AND LEGENDARY PICTURES FUNDING... Catwoman Anne Hathaway in The Dark Knight Rises, 2012. Photo: Ron Phillips/? 2012 WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC. AND LEGENDARY PICTURES FUNDING, LLC
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Tags:

  • women in tights
  • batman
  • batwoman
  • catwoman
  • batgirl
  • the dark knight rises
  • slideshow
  • alicia silverstone
  • anne hathaway
  • eartha kitt
  • lynda carter
  • michelle pfeiffer
  • uma thurman
  • anna paquin
  • rebecca romijn
  • More

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